Blue Fairy Book

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hard by the King's palace. She entered it and asked if she might be allowed to stay there. The hut belonged to an old crone, who
was also an ill-tempered and malicious troll. At first she would not let the Master-maid remain with her; but at last, after a long
time, by means of good words and good payment, she obtained leave. But the hut was as dirty and black inside as a pigsty, so
the Master-maid said that she would smarten it up a little, that it might look a little more like what other people's houses looked
inside. The old crone did not like this either. She scowled, and was very cross, but the Master- maid did not trouble herself
about that. She took out her chest of gold, and flung a handful of it or so into the fire, and the gold boiled up and poured out
over the whole of the hut, until every part of it both inside and out was gilded. But when the gold began to bubble up the old
hag grew so terrified that she fled as if the Evil One himself were pursuing her, and she did not remember to stoop down as she
went through the doorway, and so she split her head and died. Next morning the sheriff came traveling by there. He was greatly
astonished when he saw the gold hut shining and glittering there in the copse, and he was still more astonished when he went in
and caught sight of the beautiful young maiden who was sitting there; he fell in love with her at once, and straightway on the
spot he begged her, both prettily and kindly, to marry him.
"Well, but have you a great deal of money?" said the Master-maid.
"Oh! yes; so far as that is concerned, I am not ill off," said the sheriff. So now he had to go home to get the money, and in the
evening he came back, bringing with him a bag with two bushels in it, which he set down on the bench. Well, as he had such a
fine lot of money, the Master-maid said she would have him, so they sat down to talk.
But scarcely had they sat down together before the Master-maid wanted to jump up again. "I have forgotten to see to the fire,"
she said.
"Why should you jump up to do that?" said the sheriff; "I will do that!" So he jumped up, and went to the chimney in one
bound.